Improvement in cracker-machines



J 8L A. RUGERLl V2 S`1-1eets--SheetLA Cracker-Machine No; 211,057;Patented Dec. 17, 1878'. Y

NPETERS, FMOTO-UTHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. W. & A. RUGER.

Cracker-Machine.

ulg-.211,051 Patented 0m17.187s.

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N.FETRS. FNTO-LH'HOGMPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

.UNTTJED STATES PATENT Carnon.

JAMES W. RUGER AND AUGUSTUS RUGER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK;V

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,057, dated December17, 1878; applica-tion filed July 13, 1878.

To all whom it may concern: p

Be it known thatwe, JAMES W. RUGER and AUGUSTUS RUGER, both of the cityof Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Cracker-Machines, of which thefollowingis a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates more especially to th at class ofcracker-machines in which the sheet of dough, after being supplied withthe necessary flour, is passed by means of an endless apron underneath arotary brush, whereby the sheet of dough is dressed; then presented t0the cutters, which cut the sheet of dough up Y into crackers thencarried forw'ard to the scrapapron, which separates the scrap from thecrackers, the latter passing underneath the scrap-apron to thepan-apron.

Our invention has reference to certain improvements in this class ofmachines, whereby the same are better enabled to perform their function;and it consists, iirst, in arranging the rotary dough-dressing brush ina pivoted frame, so that it can be quickly raised from the dough whenrequired, and secured in any 'desired position; also, in the particularconstruction of the parts supporting the brush, as will be hereinaftermore fully set forth; also, in arranging a rotary brush at the foot ofthe scrap-apron for separating the crackers from'the scrap; also7 incombining with the scrap-apron a transverse apron in such manner thatthe scrap is received by the transverse apron and carried to one side ofthe machine without reversing the course of the scrap in passing fromthe main apron to the scrapapron; also, of a device for throwing thefeed mechanism of the main apron in and out of gear, so that themovement of this apron can be stopped whenever it is so desired.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is aside elevation of al machine provided with our improvements. Fig. 2 is atop-plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the dough-dressingbrush. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section thereof. Fig. 5 is a rear view ofthe scrap-aprons. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 7 is aside elevation of the feed-ratchet with the cover removed. Fig. 8 is avertical section thereof.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary front View of the cutter cross-head.

Like letters of reference designate like parts in each of the gures.

A-A represent the side frames of the machine, connected by cross-staysa, in the usual manner. b is' the driving-shaft, to which motion isimparted in any ordinary and wellknown manner. C O are the feed-rollers,from which the sheet of dough passes to the endless feed-apron D. E isthe rotary brush for dressing the sheet of dough preparatory to cuttingit up into crackers.

The shaft e of the brush E turns in bearings f, attached to a cross-bar,F, which is pivoted in standards Gru Gf, secured to the side frames, A,so that the brush E overhangs and is held down against the sheet `ofdough by its own weight. The standard G is provided with an arm, g,having a curved slot, g', made concentricwith the journaled cross-barF.,

H is an arm secured to the end of that journal of the cross-bar F whichprojects through the standard Gr. i

The arm H is provided with a bolt, h, passing through the curved slotg', and` having a head on one side of the slot g', and a thumbnut, h1,on the face of the arm H, so that upon loosening the thumb-nut h1 thebrush E can be raised or lowered, at the will of the operator, in an arcconcentric with axis of motion, maintaining the proper relation of thetwo belt-pulleys, and secured at any desired eleva-tion by tighteningthe thumb-nut.

lo@ is a set-screw arranged in the lower portion of the slot g', so asto bear against the bolt h, for fixin g the point to which the brush Ecan descend when the thumb-nut h is released. z'is a double pulleymounted on the end of the brush-shaft, and connected witha pulley, t, onthe driving-shaft by means of an endless belt, i2. I is, asemi-cylindrical cover secured to the cross-bar F, and surrounding theupper portion of the brush E.

The brush E revolves in a direction contrary to the movement of thesheet of dough, and is therefore liable to push back and double up theend of the sheet of dough when iirst presented to the brush.

In machines in which the brush is supported in stationary bearings, themovement of the backwardly.

brush has to be stopped in order to pass the end of the sheet ofdoughunder the brush. This inconvenience is entirely avoided in our improvedmachine, in which the brush is quickly raised, so as to permit the endof the sheet of dough to pass underneath the brush, when the brush islowered and readily held at any desired height.

'J is the cross-head of the cutters, actuated in the usual manner 5 andJ', the vertical guides between which the cross-head moves. K is theinclined scrap-apron, arranged above the rear portion of the feed-apron,so as to rise 7c is the foot-roller of the scrapapron, arranged near theupper side of the feed-apron, and supported in adjustable bearings 7c',so that its distance from the feed-apron may be increased or lessened,as may benecessary. When cutters are used which leave continuouslongitudinal bands -of scrap between the rows of crackers, the foot ofthe scrap-apron can be arranged closely to the feed-apron, as thelongitudinal bands of scrap will' run easily upon the'scrap-apron. Whenthe cutters are arranged closely, side by side, so as to leave nolongitudinal bands of scrap, except at the margins, and transverse bandsof scrap running from one marginal band to the other, these transversebands of scrap are apt to sag at the center when their ends are raisedupon the scrap-apron by the marginal bands,'and will thereforebe'carried under the scrap-apron by the feed-apron, wherebxqthe scrap isbroken up and its delivery imfrfl. For this reason it has not beencustomary to employ the scrap-apron when transverse bands of scrap wereproduced, and vto have the scrap taken from the feed-apron by anattendant. In our improved machine the foot of the scrapapron can beraised by the adjustable bearings k to such a height that the transversebands of scrap will not be drawn underneath the scrapapron, but will runupon the latter as veasily as longitudinal bands, thereby insuringa'uniform and automatic discharge of the scrap in all cases. Thebearings 7c lare secured to the side frames, A, by bolts passing throughelongated holes or slots to render the bearings adjustable.

L is a rotary brush arranged'in front of the foot of the scrap-apron K,for separating the crackers from .the scrap. The brush L is mounted insubstantially the same manner as the brush E, so as to be held'down byits own weight, and at the same time permit the brush to be quicklyraised and lowered, and held at any desired elevation, as has been fullydescribed with reference to the brush E. The brush L is driven by anendless belt running over a pulley, l, on the brush-shaft, and thedouble pulley i on the shaft of the brush E. The brush L exerts` aconstant pressure upon the bands of scrap ascending from the feedapronto the scrap-apron, and detaches any crackers which may adhere to thescrap, and lays such crackers properly upon the feedapron.

M is an endless apron, arranged transversely under the head-roller ofthe scrap-apron K, so as to receive the scrap discharged from the latterand carry it to one side of the machine. The endless apron M runs overthe pulleys or rollers m m', supported in bearings a a', secured to theside frames, A. The roller m is provided with a bevel-wheel, o, meshingwith a bevel-wheel, o', which carries a pulley, p, connected by means ofan endless belt, pl, with a pulley, p2, secured to the shaft of theheadroller of the scrap-apron. The bevel-wheel o y turnsv on a studwhich is attached to a bracket,

q, secured to one of the side frames, A.

P P are two vertical side plates, extending across the machine on eachside of the transverse apron M, for confining the scrap to the upperside of said apron.- The side plates, P P, are secured with their endsto the brackets n u. The bands of scrap discharged over the head-pulleyof the scrap-apron K are collected by the transverse apron M andvcarried to one side of the machine, where they are deposited in asuitable receptacle.

r represents the driving-shaft of the feedv apron D, to which anintermittent motion is imparted from the main driving-shaft `b by meansof an interposed 'oscillating arm, R, connected with the ymaindriving-shaft by a rod, r, and with the ratchet mechanism of thefeed-apron by a rod,'r2. This ratchet mechanism. is composed of aratchet-wheel, s, se-

cured to the drivin g-shaft r of the feed-apron, and a surroundingcircular case, T, mounted loosely on the shaft i" and connected to therod r2.

s1 is the actuating-pawl, pivoted to heshell T, and provided with vathumb-piece, 82, projecting through the rim of the shell Tin convenientreach of the operator. u lis a collar lt'ting 4loosely iupon the hub ofthe ratchetwheel s,"and u1 a link connecting the pawl s1 v'withthecollar u in such manner that when the collar u'is held stationary thepawl s1 'will be thrown in engagement with the teeth of theratchet-wheel, or be withdrawn therefrom by turning the shell T forward(in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7) or backward,respectively. u2 is a spiral spring, which lis held against the collar ubyfmeans of'a cover, a3, and screw-nut u, appliedto the threaded end ofthe drivin g-'shaft i".

It sometimes occurs that by 'reason of an improper consistency of thedough the motion imparted to the sheet of dough by gtliefeedrollers (lGis slower than the motion of the feed-apron, -when it becomes desirableto stop the motion of the feed-apron forasufficient length'of time'tocompensate for its excess of speed. 'This is readily accomplished in ourimproved machine by pressing the thumbpiece s2 outward, whereby the:pawl s1 is disengaged from the ratchet-wheel vand the feed motionarrested.

c represents a pocket or receptacle secured to or formed on the side ofthe cross-head J, for receiving the wrench which is used in applying andremoving the screw-nuts in eX- changing the cutters. This Wrench isoften mislaid, causing great delay and annoyance, which is entirelyobviated by the use of the pocket fo. A

We claim as our invention- 1. In a cracker-machine, the combination,with the rotary brush E, of thepivoted frame F, arm H, and a fasteningdevice applied thereto, for holding the pivoted frame at any desiredelevation, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the rotary brush E, supported inl the pivotedframe F, and arm E, secured thereto, of the standards G Gr', one ofwhich is provided with curved slot g', and a fastening device forsecuring the arm H to the slotted standard, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the rotary brush E, of the pivoted'frame F, armH, slotted standard G, slotted arm g g', fastening-bolt h, and set-screw71.2, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, With the feed-apron D and scrap-apron K, of therotary brush L, arranged at the foot ofthe scrap-apron for separatin gthe crackers from the scrap, substantially as set forth.

veying it to one side of the machine Without reversing the motion of thescrap, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with theside frames, A A, and feed-apron D, of theinclined scrapapron K and foot-roller la, supported in adjustablebearings kf, so that the roller la can be adjusted toward and from thefeed-apron D, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the ratchet-Wheel s and circular case T, of thepavvl sl, provided with thumb-piece 82, projecting through the case T,substantially as set forth.

J. W. RUGER. AUGUSTUS RUGER.

Witnesses:

JN0. J. BoNNER, S. WELCH.

